Where luxury meets technology: the tech behind the Bentayga SUV

Tim Gibson

The Bentayga SUV features more technology than any Bentley ever built. It’s the way the engineering sits behind the driving experience that makes the Bentayga remarkable.

Some cars are remarkable for their elegant looks. Others stand out because they perform magnificently, with razor-sharp handling and responsive engines. Some vehicles are the very height of luxury, oozing decadence with handcrafted leather and wood interiors and all manner of personalisation. And some are remarkable because of their sheer technological brilliance, enabling them to outclass their rivals in every conceivable way.

The Bentley Bentayga has all of these characteristics and more. It is hard not to agree with the manufacturer that it must be one of the most remarkable cars in the world.

Third-party endorsement of that sentiment comes from customers and critics alike. (“The world's most impressive SUV… I challenge you not to be impressed,” wrote Telegraph head of motoring Chris Knapman in his review.) So The Bentayga – the first SUV Bentley has produced – is receiving industry accolades with astonishing alacrity. Bentley’s order book for the car is filling up with similar speed, as customers come to realise its significance in the company’s living heritage.

The W12 engine is a twin-turbocharged power plant designed for optimum efficiency and outstanding performance

“Bentayga is the most technologically advanced vehicle Bentley has ever made,” says Stuart White, project lead for electrical during the development of the new car. “But it’s important to be clear that we’re not using technology just for the sake of it. We’re using it to enhance the ownership experience, and help drivers really connect with their vehicle.”

A great example of this comes in the use of kinetic speakers for the high-quality audio system. “These enable you to feel music as well as listen to it,” explains Mr White, “because the vibrations pass through the air and into your body. It is like being at a live concert, and reflects the sort of multi-sensory experience that driving a Bentley has always been about.”

The guiding principle for the team that developed the Bentayga was to ensure the car had continuity with Bentley’s traditions, while giving fresh expression to them in a way that resonated with 21st-century drivers.

Big player: the W12 engine generates 600hp and 400Nm of torque, at about 1,350rpm

“The first things you notice about the Bentayga are its sharply styled exterior and luxurious interior,” says Mr White. “But once you get behind the wheel, your interaction with the car is mediated through the on-board technology. We had to get that right, so it reinforced the car’s character, rather than being a distraction from it.”

Take the W12 engine as a case in point. Displacing just less than six litres, it is actually two VR6 engines working in perfect harmony.

Allow Richard Haycox, project lead for powertrain and chassis on the Bentayga, to explain: “The W12 is a twin-turbocharged power plant designed for optimum efficiency and outstanding performance. It generates 600hp and 400Nm of torque, at about 1,350rpm. That mean peak torque comes after about 1.1 seconds, giving a very real sense of pace.

“But, when the car is up to speed and the driver backs off on the throttle, six cylinders of the engine’s 12 shut down. It is a seamless transition from the driver’s perspective, but it makes a big difference to emissions and fuel economy.”

The guiding principle for the team that developed the Bentayga was to ensure the car had continuity with Bentley’s traditions, while giving fresh expression

Mr Haycox describes this as “hidden technology”, and that’s very much a feature of the Bentayga. Not for this car the rather ostentatious use of electronic wizardry that besets other high-tech automobiles. Whether it is the traction control that maintains grip off-road or the driver assistance safety package that helps prevent collisions, everything works in the background to create an overall impression of supreme competence.

“The idea is that the driver and passengers enjoy the experience of being in a Bentley, but have it enhanced by technology,” concludes Mr White. “If we’ve got it right, the Bentayga will feel just as brilliant as every other vehicle in Bentley’s range. And then, once you live with it for a while, you’ll realise it’s even better.”

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